Folding door



Jan. 2, 1951 A. MADONNA 2,536,197

FOLDING DOOR Filed July 19, 1946 o 0? o 0 Que,

l I 25 f 0 0W0 o W 0 P' @0 V INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 2, 1951 "Forums noon 1 If. x I

. The present invention inner perforated chine.

--The-princina1 obiect of the invention is to'provide' a door for this purpose that is simply and inexpensively constructed and which folds to its open position; Preferably, a positive means is provided for retaining the door in either opened or closed position.

In the accomplishmentof this object, the door consists of two sections hinged to one another; one of the sections being hinged'to an edge of the door opening. Thus, the door folds inwardly of the receptacle when in the open position. In the case of a cylindrical drum for a washing machine, the door sections are curved on the radius of the cylinder so that they lie in the cylindrical surface of the drum when the door is closed. 1

5 A spring latch is carried by one of the sections and locked againsta rail fixedly mounted in the receptacle and slightly inward of the opening.

The rail is formed with a slope or bevel where engaged by the latching member in the lockingposition, and the slope or bevel is so positioned as to retain the latching member-in-thelocking position. The rail also has an inwardly extend ing portion on which'the free edge of the door rests when in the open'position. Furtherthis portion of the rail is preferably formed with aseat' to receive the rolled or beaded free edge of the open door, thereby retaining the latter positively in the open'positiom The invention is fully disclosed'by way of example in the 'following description 'andini the" accompanying drawings in which: R .5

Figure l is a sideele-vation of 'a washer con-1 structed according to the invention. the outer Reference to these views willnow be made.

by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

f'The washer is of the horizontal" cylindertype and includes an outer closed drum l-mounted1 on a shaft 2 which in turn is journalled in upright bearings On the. shaft 2 is rotatably mounted an inner wash drum including a suit+ able number of circular rims 4 supported on the. shaft and in turn supporting the perforated cy1in-' drical drum sections 5.- The sections 5 are prefpertains to a novelfo' d ing door for a receptacle and particularly'for'therotary drum ofa washing ma erably dented inwardlyjand longitudinall jto form ribs or vanes 6. Each section Shas aload-f ing opening 1, and adjacent to each such opening the outer drum l is fo rmed with a similar' op ing 7. The latter are disposed above the ho Zontabdiarnetrical plane and need not be covered since the inner drum is merely oscillated by suit-f able well known mechanism provldedior that purpose. g V

The door for eachopening '1" comprises span-y of pIatesQ and I0 bent-arcuat'ely on the radius of a cylindrical 'sect'ion' i." The 'plate Q'ishin'ged at l l to the section 5 at theupper-"dg'e oi its opening The plate 10; is attac ed -'to the re; maining' edge or the plate e} by a series er leaf hinges I 2, as's'hown more clearly-m Figure 4." The freeedge of the plate I'B' is-beaded at l'3' forfinish; as shown mor creamy in Figure *The plates 19 and l 0 are also perforated at' H as shown iirl ig' ure3; 7 An areusterams is prglvided' at each end of each opening I and is supported by the end plates" l6 of the sections 5'or' by internal'partitionsi The" rails are substantially"co extensive'with the cor: responding openings" Tarid -are spaced somewhat inward of the cylir 1'd'ri ':al surfaces of the sections 5 extended over the' openings "1. The beads 13' contain rods II' adapted" to ride u on the rails. The upper ends of therails are directed inwardly of the se'ctio'n's'fi as indicated"'by"the'humeral I8" When a'pair 'of'arcuatepiates 9;'l 0 is'alined-in the cylindrical surface of the section 5; they close the opening .1 'asfmaybe' seen in' "Figures '2 andi3. The 'door 'is"op'ened"by-"pushingthe edge I3 1115'.

ontothe'exten'dedportions18'01' the rails thereby throwing the *sections9, "I 0 inwardly as shownin the same figures. Againg'on closing" thei'doorjthe section 9 swings 'on'" the hinge l I and thesection In enthehing'es l2, both sections'p'assing: between therails to occupy the closed position shown in :full lines. .1 a

Each door section 9 carries a stamped metalfl 'of the adjacent rail-l5 by a coil spring ZZ-behind it and within thetube 20.--

As the doorcomes to a closed position, the .pin.

2| rides down a slope-23.formed onthe sidefotg theadjacent rail i5-,=as shown in Figure .5. The; I

engaging-end orthe -pin-2l is correspondingly.

door, the pin is provided with a laterally extending finger 26 accommodated in a slot 21 formed in the tuberzmand" accessible througlrarr'opening IS in the housingila'a In the use of the device, it is now apparent that the door is closed from the dotted line position:

shown in Figures 2 and 3 by being pulled into the opening 1 and passing between the rails Hi. The latch pins 2| engage the sides of .the'rails-and lock behind the slopes 23 in the manner described." To open the door, the latch pins 2! are pulled inward by the fingersZG, and the door is then folded back to the dotted line position.

7 i .Inthe openpositionof the door therods 1.1 rest outlier-inwardly,extendingeportions llflof the rails I 3 'andare seate'd. irnnotches gor grooves. 28. formed iii-the portions .1 8ilnithiscposi-tionthe. rib 6 next adjacent to theopenidoor. overlies' the joined edgesof-sthedoor sections, asishow-n in Figure: 2, 1 since thedistanceirom the-hinge iilflto the-nib is substantially equals to the distance between the hinges i I and I2; The rib 6' thus protects the inneredgept the-open door ifromscatching articles that -migh-t .be thrown around: inside the drum, whichnarticlesswould .tendfltaiclose theidoor by their weight Although a specific-'embodimentiof the-invention has'been illustrated anddescribed,it will: be understoodthat various alterations -in. the: details ctr-construction may be made without departing from the scopeiof the invention as indicated by the -appended claimsi What I claim is:

1. 111 a cylindrieal drum having-am opening in its cylindrical-rwalla= door-tor said openin com-. prising-twosections hinged together ona-line parallel' toithe -axis oi said drum; one-or said sections bein -also hin ed: tosaid' drum at an edge'o-f said opening, arai-l 'securedatowsaid drum slightly inwardof said opening andlpositioned to guide-one ofisaidsecti'ons; and'a latch carried by' one of -said; sections andiadapted to iock onsaid'raiLsaid rail having: an "-inwardly extending 'zportioninear said edge of said opening, the free ed e of the'remain Big? section being adanted itoirestr ODE'Said portion 3; In a -cyIi'ndrical drum -"having an openingin its' cy indricai wan; a' do'or for said openin com prisingtwo sections filmed together on" a" line parallel to theaxis of said drurn; one of said "sec tidns being'alsoliin ed to' saiddruni'at an edge off'said opening, a-rail" 'secured'to 'saiddrum slight:

lyin'ward" of said "opening, and a spring=pre ed pin carried by one of said sections and a'dapted' to'ibck bn s'aidrail, said rail having an inwardly extending portion-near said edge 'of'said opening; the free "ed ge'o'f therem'aining section being adapted-"to rest on said portion" when the dooris open.

4. In a cylindrical drum having an opening in its cylindrical wall, a door for said opening comprising two sections hinged together on a, line parallel to the axis of said drum, one of said sections being also hinged to said drum at an edge of said opening, a rail secured to said drum slightly inward of said opening, a latch housing carried by one of said sections, a latch pin slidably mounted in said housing towards said nail, and spring meansurging said pin towards said rail, a side of said rail being bevelled and engageable by said pin to lock the same.

5;1311 a receptacle having an opening in its wall, a door for said opening comprising two sections hinged together, one of said sections being also hinged.- to saidreceotacle at an edge of sa d opening. a rail secured to said receptacle slightly inward"of""said opening, and a latch carried by one of said secti ns and adapted to lock on said rail, said rail having .inwardlv"ex endingmortion nearrsai'd "edge of said" o ening: free edge of;

therema ning 'sectionb'eing adanted" toyrestt'on:

at its upper edge to said drum at theupoer'e'dge ofsaict open ng, the" upper s: ctibnbeingswin'gable into the-drumandthe lower-section being swing?- able ontothe outer surface of theupper sectiontodispose said? sections inside-:the l drum: on. opening:

'the :door,:.a"pair of rails-secured to-said drum;- sl-ightly radiallyinward of said opening, saidrails: being spacedapart asgreater distance" thamthe widthof sa-i'd doors axially of said drurmwhereby: said sections may pass. between said rails, mern;-

hers-on: saidxlower section and riding, onssaid rails, and-means at thezupper en'ds of saidwrails for:

retaining said members.,-.

7- In a cylindrical drum having-an openingim its-cylindricalwail, a-door iorsaid. openingncomeprising an upper 1 section rand anlower section hinged togetherron aline parallel to the: axis of, said. drum; the: upper section beings-also hinged. at its upper edge-to said. drum: at the upper.;.edge of; saideopening, the upper section-beingswingable: intov the: drum: and the lower section being 1 swing:

able onto. the-outer snrfaceof-the upper-section,

to; dispose saidsectionssin'side:the drum on opening the door, a pair of rails seeuredatoi said drum slightly radiallyinwardtof. said opening. said rails beingspaced apart a greater distance than; the Width of said doorsaxiallyr'of'isaididrumtwhereby;

said sections may pass between said rails, mem-- bers on-said lower section and: riding onsaid rails,

and means at the upper ends of .said rails for: reta-inin'gsaid members; said means lying" inclose proximitytothe hinged upper-edge of the upper section, whereby the :opems'ectionssubstantially clear said opening. 7

8. In a cylindrical drum having an opening inv its cylindrical wall, a door forfsaid o'penin'gcornprising'ta'n' upper sectionand 'aalowert sectionhinged together on 'a' line parallel to :the axi'sof.

said drum; the upper section 'beingnal'so hinged atiits upper edge to said drum atthe 'upp'er'edge of'said' opening, the uppersectionbeing swingable into the drum 'and'the lower section being swingableonto the outer surface "of the'upper section to'dispose said-sections inside the drum on opening' the do r, a' pair of rails secured tosaid drum slightly radial-1y ir'iv'v'ard of said'openingsaid rails being spaced apart a greater distance than the 5 6 width of said doors axially of said drum, whereby UNITED STATES PATENTS said sections may pass between said rails, mem- Number Name Date bers on said lower section and riding on said rails, 1,295,830 Lichtenstein Feb 25 1919 each rail having an inwardly extending portion 1,598 355 Mam Aug 31 1926 at its upper end, and means on said portions for 5 1 630 513 Balzer May 31 1927 retaining said members. ""7

ANTHONY MADONNA 2,241,179 Brenkert May 6, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS REFERENCES CITED Number Country Date The following references are of record in the 19 134 659 Great Britain Nov. 13. 1919 file of this patent: 

